Solderless wire connector



June v G. c. THOMAS, JR., ET AL 2,205,322

sowEiiLEss WIRE comwc'rox 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 8. 1938 0 v v n on on hm U 3 K n on a a I n 5 oN #N INVENTOR E I H mm A H June '1 1940- s. c. THOMAS, 4a., ET AL 2,

sowaimnss wms connsc'ron Filed Jan. 8, 1938 I 3 Shank-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 6:02: C. Tnonns JR.

ATTOR EY5 June 18, 1940.

G. cqruowxs, JR.', El AL SOLDERLBSS WIRE CONNECTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 8. 1938 INVENTOR GEORGE C 7710/?4: J2. Mmerm Z7. 55264 Patented June 18,1940

soLnEnLs'ss WIRE coNNnc'ron George C. Thomas, Jr., Elizabeth, and MartinD. Bergan, Linden, N. J assignors to The Thomas & Betts 00., Elizabeth, N. 1., a corporation or New Jersey Application January a, 1938, Serial No.'1 83 ,934 'lCiaims. )(01. iii-2B9) The invention relates to a solderless wire connector of a new form for making electrical connections. The principal parts of the connector can be fashioned from sheet or strip material.v

is bent into sleeve form so that the edges of the strip material come adjacent to each other.

The operating meansis carried by the sleeve and preferably in the side opposite from the adjacent edges so that there is a tendency tosprea'd these edges when the operating means exerts pressure thereagainst upon clamping a wire within the connector. The construction is so-made that spreading of the adjacent edges is prevented.

A principal object or the invention is to construct a wire connector having a'sleeve which is formed from a flat blank by bending? the 5 same into tubular or sleeve-like form with. the

edges adjacent to each other, which edges are prevented from spreading apart under the pressure exerted when clamping a wire therein;

Another object of the invention is to construct a wireconnector having a sleeve which'c'an be formed from strip material and is prevented fromspreading when a wire is clamped therein,

and, in addition thereto, is so constructed that are prevente'djfrom when assembled the parts being disassembled. I p

A still further object of the invention 'is to devise a wire connector of new and novelform retained assembled with the sleeve in anew and novel manner. 1 Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, illustrating three embodiments as examplesofl the invention, in which:

Figures 1 through? illustrate the'first and 'pre- 5 ferred form of the'invention.

Figure 1 is an exploded view of'thewirefconnector with the parts in spaced relation preparatory to assembling them, and particularly illustrates the wire clamping-seat ln'the position I 5 in which it must be inserted into the sleeve or I I therebetween.

shell through the latters longer internal dimension. f r,

Figure 21s a sectional view; taken on line 2-4 of Figure 1, or the wire connector with the clamp- I ing plate inserted in position in the slots in 6 the sleeve, and with the stationary clamping seat in position ready to be inserted into the sleeve so that it may be secured thereto.

Figure 3 is an end view of the assembled wire connector showing a wire clamped therein and 10 the fixed clamping seat secured over the adjacent or abutting edges of the sleeve and retaining them against spreading.

Figure 4 is a side view of the wire connector with a wire clamped therein. 16

Figure 5 is a cross-section through the wire connector, taken on line 5-5 of Figure 4, with a wire clamped therein and shows particularly how the fixed or stationary wire seat is secured to the sleeve so that spreading of the adjacent zo edges thereof is prevented. v

Figure 6 is a top 'view of the wire connector with a wire clamped therein and shows means for securing the connector to some other structure.

Fi ure 7 is a bottom view of the wire connector showing how the stationary or fixed wire seat is secured within the sleeve and prevents spreading of'the adjacent or abutting edges of the sleeve.- 80

Figures 8 through 11 illustrate a second form of the wire connector in which the movable clamping member or jaw is secured to the, operating screw and theflxed wire seat retains the adjacent edges of-the sleeve or shell from spread- 35 ing.

Figure 8 is an end view of the wire connector with the movable clamping member spaced from the fixed wire seat and ready te'receive a wire Figure 9 is a side elevation of the wire connector oi Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a cross-section through the wire connector, taken on line Iii-l0 of Figure 9, showing the manner in which'the fixed wire seat is 45 secured to the sleeve and how it retains the adjacent edges ofthe sleeve from spreading. The movable clamping member is spaced from the fixed wire-seat and hence is in position ready to receive a-wire therebetween.

' .'permanently secured to the sleeve and retains the adjacent or abutting edges 01 the sleeve against spreading. x f

Figures 12 through 16 illustrate the third form of the wire connector in which the wire clamping seat is retained in assembled relation, but is not permanently secured to the sleeve or shell and may be removed if desired. The adjacent edges of the sleeve, however, are secured against ing member spaced from the stationary clamping means for securing the connector to some otherseat so that a wire may be inserted therebetween. This view also shows the means by which the stationary clamping seat is retained within the sleeve against longitudinal removal therefrom.

Figure 14 is a longitudinal section of the wire connector, taken on line "-44 of Figure 13, and shows particularly the stationary clamping seat in position within the sleeve.

Figure 15 is a cross-section of the wire connector, taken on line i5.l5 of Figure 14, and shows the manner in which the movable clamping member is retained upon the operating screw. This figure also illustrates the means by which the adjacent edges of the sleeve are prevented from spreading when a wire: is clamped therein.

Figure 16 is a longitudinal sectionof the wire connector, taken on line l6-l6 of Figure 14, and shows the means by which the stationary clamping seat is retained therein against longitudinal removal from the sleeve.

Three forms of the wire connector are illustrated in the drawings in order to show several ways in which the invention may be practiced. The construction has been devised in order to take advantage of the lower manufacturing costs which result from making as many parts as possible from sheet or strip material. Blanks of the desired shape are punched from the sheet material, which blanks are bent'into the desired forms. The wire connectors illustrated herein are designed so that the principal part, or sleeve, is formed from sheet or strip material, and in the preferred construction all parts, excepting the operating screw, are formed from strip material. In the construction of the sleeve or shell, a flat blank, punched to the proper configuration, is bent into tubular shape to form the sleeve which brings the edges of the blank adjacent to each other. In fact, the edges of the sleeve abut each other, or approximately abut each other, in two of the. constructions.

Under the action of an operating screw when clamping a wire within a shell which has been formed from a flat blank bent into a tubular shape, there is a tendency for the adjacent edges of the shell or sleeve to spread apart. The three forms of invention illustrated herein have means for preventing spreading apart of the adjacent edges of the sleeve, and this means is also utilized as a stationary wire clamping seat within the sleeve. In the forms illustrated herein, the stationary wire seat also carries an extension or structure, although this extension is not essential in order to practice the principal concept ,of the invention.

The first form shown. in Figures 1 through 7 function, in addition to the two above enumerat ed, in that it also retains the movable clamping member permanently within the sleeve. The manner in which this function is accomplished will be discussed fully hereinafter.

The wire connector illustrated in Figures 1 5 through 7 includes a sleeve 20 which is formed by punching a blank from sheet or strip material of a desired configuration which is then bent into tubular form. The sleeve may have any desired tubular cross-section, but the more desirable form is one which is substantially rectangular. The sleeve forms a wire passage extending axially thereof. The edges 2| of the tubular sleeve are adjacent to each other, but in this first form they may abut each other or approximately abut as illustrated. The side of the tubular sleeve which contains the abutting edges 2| is of V form so that it conforms with a V- form stationary wire or clampingseat to be mounted thereagainst, as will be described here- 4 inafter.

In the side of the tubular sleeve 20 opposite from the abutting edges 2|, a threaded hole 22 is provided which receives an operating screw 23. In forming the threaded hole, a boss 24 is raised which increases the length of the hole and hence the length of the screw thread through the sleeve. Each of the long sides of the rectangular tubular sleeve 20 has a vertical aperture or slot 2'! which is shown located midway between the ends of the sleeve and extends substantially the entire vertical dimension of each long side. Preferably, each slot extends around the corner of each long side and into the shorter side or bottom of the sleeve to form a slot in this shorter side upon each side of the abutting edges. The slots and adjacent to the abutting edges.

A movable clamping member ill has an ear ll projecting from each side thereof. An ear is received in each of the two slots 21. The cars and slots retain the clamping plate 30 within the sleeve, but permit movement thereof within the sleeve in a direction towards and away from the side having the abutting edges 2|. The movable clamping plate 20 has a dimension short enough across the ears ll so that it will pass readily into the tubular sleeve 20 through its greater internal dimension which may be across the corners of the sleeve, although in the illustrated embodiment the clamping member has a dimension less than the longer internal dimension of the rectangular sleeve and hence will pass into the sleeve through this greater internal dimension. When the ears 3| are opposite the slots 21, the clamping member lll is rotated to bring the ears ll into the slots. The clamping member preferably has a raised flat portion 32 located between the ears 3| so that it is immediately under the operating screw 23 and is engaged by the fiat end thereof. The operating screw and movable clamping member form wire clamping means.

A stationary or preferably a fixed clamping seat 35 has a v-shape so that it will afford greater contact witha wire W to be clamped thereagainst. A lug 38 extends downwardly on each side thereof so that the overall width of the clamping seat is narrow enough to be inserted within the tubular sleeve 20, as illustrated in Figure 2. The stationary or fixed clamping'seat carriesmeans in the form of an extension 31 for securing the wire connector to some other structure. The extension has a hole 38 to receive a securing bolt or screw.

The stationary or fixed clamping seat 35 isin- 15 serted into the sleeve 20 after the movable clamping member has been inserted with its ears 3| in the apertures or slots 21, as illustrated in Figure 2. The fixed clamping seat is shown in position in Figure 2 ready to be inserted in the sleeve. When the lugs are opposite the slots 21, the clamping seat 'is moved downwardly so that the lugs pass into the slots and the ends project slightly therebeyond. These lugs prevent spreading of the adjacent ends 2| of the sleeve. The projecting ends of the lugs may be and preferably are mashed to rivet and permanently fix the clamping seat 35 within the sleeve. The mashed-over ends of the lugs are shown in the pads 33 illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 which extend over the edges of the slot. Threading of the operating screw 23 in the threaded hole 22 finishes the assembling of the wire connector so that it is ready for use with the stationary clamping seat and the movable clamping member permanently retained in assembled relation.

With the fixed clamping seat 30 permanently retained within the sleeve, the lugs 35 prevent spreading apart of the abutting edges 2| of the sleeve, irrespective of the pressureexerted by the operating screw 23. It has been explained hereinbefore how the movable clamping member 35 is inserted with its ears 3| in the slots 21 by passing the clamping member through the greater internal dimension of the sleeve. It will be noted that the fixed clamping seat 35 reduces both the longer internal dimension of the sleeve as well as the effective length of the slots 21. In the latter case, the efiective length of the slots is so reduced that the ears 3| are prevented from being removed from the slots '2'! by the fixed clamping seat 35, and, in the former case, even if the ears 3| could be removed from the slots 21, the internal dimension of the sleeve has been so reduced that the clamping member 35 cannot be removed from the sleeve. It will beobserved, therefore, that the movable clamping member or plate 3|.

is permanently retained within the sleeve. It is immaterial that the fixed clamping seat 35 both reduces the effective lengtl. of the slots 21 and the greater internal dimension of the sleeve, since a reduction in one of these dimensions alone is sufiicient to permanently retain the movable clamping member within the sleeve.

The second form shoum in Figures 8 through 11 In this second form of wire connector, the movable clamping member is permanently attached to. the operating screw so that this construction difiers from the first, form in this. respect and also in the elimination of slots in the side walls of the tubular shell or sleeve. In this second form of construction, the adjacent edges,

particularly illustrated as being abutting, are retained against spreading when a wire is clamped therein in the same manner as that illustrated in the first form.

This second form of wire connector comprises ashell or sleeve 52 which is formed from a blank cut from strip or sheet material which is bent into tubular form with the edges 43 of the strip adjacent to each other,- but the abutting relation shape is not essential, and forms a wire passage extending axially therein. The side of the tubular sleeve having the abutting edges has a'V- shape in order to better adapt the same to receive a V-shaped wire clamping seat to be described. A threaded hole 54 is provided in the tubular sleeve in the side opposite from that having the 3 abutting edges. This threaded hole receives the operating screw 55. A boss 55 is raised'aroundthe threaded hole in order to provide additional threads for the operating screw. An aperture or slot 41 extends through the side of the sleeve 52 containing the abutting edges, one such slot being provided on each side of the abutting edges 43.

A movable clamping member 55 having a V- shaped wire clamping race 5| is secured'to the operating screw in" any suitable manner. The clamping member is particularly shown as being attached to the operating screw by a reduced portion 52, upon the end of the operating screw,

which passes through a hole in the clamping member and the end is mashed to rivet the reduced portion in the hole. Thispermanently fixes the clamping member to the operating screw so that these two parts form clamping means permanently aflixed to the sleeve 42 of the wire connector.

A stationary or fixed wire'clam'ping seat has a V-shaped clamping face 55 for more securely clamping a wire thereagainst. The clamping seat has a width so that it will. pass into the sleeve and-is provided with a pair of downwardly extending lugs 51 which extend into the slots 51 in the sleeve 42, and the ends thereof are mashed over, as shown'by the pads or portions 55, to

'rivet the clamping seat permanently to the-sleeve.

These lugs, therefore, not only retain the wire clamping seat permanently attached or fixed to the sleeve, but also prevent the adjacent or abutting edges 43 of the sleeve from spreading under the pressure of the operating means when a wire is clamped within the connector;

The clamping seat 55 preferably also has an extension 50 with a hole 5| therethrough which receives a bolt for securing the connector to some other structure. The extension 50, therefore, provides means for securing the connector to any desired structure.

The third form shoum-in Figures'IZ through 17 lar' shell or sleeve 55, formed from sheet or strip material; the cross-section of which is generally rectangular although this shape is not essential. The sleeve. forms a wire passage extending axially therein. The adjacent edges of the sleeve are bent upwardly so that an internal ridge is formed in the center and agroove 55 is provided on each side of the adjacent edges 51. A threaded hole- '58 is provided in the'side pff'the sleeve 55 oppo- "'site.1rom the side having the adjacent edges 51 The-threaded hole 55- receives an operating illustrated is 'more desirabler The sleeve is prefe screw 1|. I A movable clamping member" is pererably rectangular in cross-section, although this.

manently secured to the operating'screw "H in gaging face 15 to provide more effective clamping engagement with a wire. The operating screw and clamping member form clampingmeans.

A wire seat 18 has downwardly extendin flanges or lugs 1!, one of which is received in each groove I on the inside of the sleeve 65 and prevents the adjacent edges 01 of the sleeve from spreading under the action of the operating means when clamping a wire within the connector. The clamping seat may have a groove in its upper face in order to more firmly seat a wire thereagainst. The wire seat I! has a retaining projection II on each side and at the end thereof, which projections form shoulders which engage the end edges of the sleeve l! to prevent removal of the wire seat from the assembled wire connector. The wire seat preferably has an extension I! with a hole I! therein to provide means for securing the wire connector to some other structure. The extension I! is wider than the sleeve 65 so that the edges 04 thereof form shoulders which engage the end edges of the sleeve opposite from the: retaining projections ll to secure the wire seat within the sleeve.

The wire seat II is inserted withinthe sleeve by projecting it edgewise thereinto and then rotating it so that the retaining projections ll engage the end edges of the sleeve I. If now the operating screw II is turned down so that the clamping member 12 reduces the longer dimension within the sleeve, the wire seat I! is thereby prevented from rotating far enough to permit its removal from the sleeve. In this way the wire seat is retained within the sleeve against inadvertent removal therefrom, although itis loosely retained therein and it is possible to remove it from the sleeve if desired.

In all forms of the invention means are provided to retain or hold the adjacent edges of the sleeve against spreading. This means also serves as a clamping seat and performs its holding function by engaging shoulders close to the adjacent edges. In the first two forms these shoulders are provided by apertures or slots through the side of the shell, and in the third form the shoulders are provided by bending the edges inwardly so that a ridge in the center of the side of the shell is formed by the closely lying ends of the bent blank. The ridge forms parallel grooves on each side thereof, and the sides of the ridge form the shoulders in the third form.

This invention is presented to fill a need for improvements in a wire connector. It is understood that various modifications in structure, as well as changes in mode of operation, assembly, and manner of use, may and often do occur to those skilled in the art, especially after benefiting from the teachings of an invention. Hence, it will be understood that this disclosure is illustrative of preferred means of embodying the invention in useful form by explaining the construction, operation and advantages thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A wire connector comprising a sleeve formed from strip material and having the edges of the strip abutting each other, the sleeve forming a wire passage extending axially therein, wire clamping means carried by the sleeve oppositely from the abutting edges thereof and operable in the sleeve to clamp the wire therein, recesses extending through the wall of the sleeve and at least one being located on each side of the abutting edges thereof, a wire seat fitting within the sleeve and over the abutting edges upon which seat the wire to be received within the wire connector may rest, and lugs carried by the wire seat ,and extending into the recesses, said lugs- 2. A wire connector comprising a sleeve formed from strip material and .having the edges of the strip abutting each other, the sleeve forming a wire passage extending axially therein, wire clamping means carried by the sleeve oppositely from the abutting edges thereof and operable in the sleeve to clamp the wire therein, the sleeve having a hole therethrough close to each abutting edge thereof, a wire seat fitting over the abutting edges of the sleeve upon which seat the wire received within the sleeve may rest, lugs carried by the wire seat extending into the holes in the sleeve and secured in the holes to retain the abutting edges of the sleeve together against spreading, and securing means carried by the wire seat and extending outwardly from the sleeve to secure the wire connector to some other structure.

3. A wire connector comprising a sleeve formed from strip material and having the edges of the strip abutting each other, the sleeve forming a wire passage extending axially therein, a clamping screw carriedby the sleeve oppositely from the abutting edges'thereof and operable in the sleeve to clamp the wire therein, the sleeve having a slot through each side and extending substantially the vertical length of the side, a clamping member having an ear extending outwardly from each side thereof which ears are received in the slots, the clamping member having a width including the ears approximating the longer inner dimension of the sleeve so that the clamping member can be inserted within the sleeve through the longer dimension until the ears are opposite the slots whereupon the clamping member is rotated to bring each ear into a slot, a wire seat fitting over the abutting edges of the sleeve and within the sleeve upon which a wire to be clamped may rest, means carried by the wire seat to secure the same to the sleeve and to retain the abutting edges of the sleeve together against spreading, and the wire seat reducing the inner vertical dimension of the sleeve so that the clamping member is permanently retained within the sleeve.

4. A wire connector comprising a sleeve formed from strip material and having the edges of the strip abutting each other, the sleeve forming a wire passage extending axially therein, a clamping screw carried. by the sleeve oppositely from the abutting edges thereof and operable in the sleeve to clamp the wire therein, the sleeve having a slot through each side thereof beginning substantially at the top of each side and extending substantially the length of the side, a clamping member having an ear extending outwardly from each side thereof which ears are received in the slots, the clamping member having a width including the ears so that it can be inserted within the sleeve through the longer internal dimension thereof until the ears are opposite the slots whereupon the clamping member is rotated to bring each ear into a slot, a wire seat fitting over the abutting edges of the sleeve upon which a wire within the sleeve may rest, means carried by the wire seat and. secured to the sleeve to retain the abutting edges of the sleeve together against spreading and also obstructing a portion of each slot whereby its eflective length is shortened sothat the clamping member is permanently retained within the sleeve.

5. A wire connector comprising a sleeve formed from strip material and having the edges of the strip abutting each other, the sleeve forming a wire passage extending axially therein, a clamping screw carried by the sleeve oppositely from the abutting edges thereof and operable in the sleeve to clamp the wire therein, the sleeve having a slot through each side thereof beginning substantially at one end of each side and extending the length of the side and around the side member having a width' including the ears so that it can be inserted within the sleeve through the longer internal dimension thereof until the ears are opposite the slots whereupon the clamping member is rotated to bring each ear into a slot, a wire seat fittingover the abutting edges of the sleeve upon which seat the wire within the sleeve may rest, lugs carried by the wire seat extending into the slots in the sleeve and secured to the sleeve to retain the abutting edges of the sleeve together against spreading, and the wire seat reducing the inner dimension of the sleeve so that the clamping member is permanently retained within the sleeve by the ears and slots.

6. A wire connector comprising a sleeve having at least one open end for the insertion of a wire within the sleeve, the sleeve being rectangular in cross section whereby one side is longer than the other, the sleeve having a slot through each long side thereof beginning substantially at the top of each side and extending the length of the side wire clamping means carried by the sleeve and operable in the sleeve to clamp the wire therein including a clamping member having an ear extending outwardly from each side thereof which ears are received in the slots, the clamping member having a width including the ears so that it can be inserted within the sleeve through the long internal dimension thereof until the ears are opposite the slots whereupon the clamping member is rotated to bring each ear into a slot, a wire seat fitting against one side of the sleeve and opposite from the wire clamping means upon which seat a wire may rest when projected within the sleeve, and.- means carried by the wire seat to secure the same to the sleeve whereby the wire seat prevents the clamping member from being removed from the sleeve and hence is permanently retained therewithin.

'7. A wire connector comprising a sleeve formed from strip material and having the edges of the strip abutting each other, the sleeve forming a. wire passage extending axially therein, wire clamping means carried by the sleeve including a screw threaded into the sleeve oppositely from the abutting edges thereof and a clamp plate secured to the screw and operable in the sleeve to clamp the wire therein, the sleeve having a hole in the bottom thereof close to each abutting edge, a wire seat fitting over the abutting edges of the sleeve upon which a wire within the sleeve may rest, and lugs carried by the wire seat extending into the holes in the sleeve and secured to the sleeve to retain the abutting edges of the sleeve together against spreading.

GEORGE C. THOMAS, J a. MAR'I'IN D. BERGAN. 

